Where exactly was the problem?
Steve Wilson forced himself to calm down, staring at the engine and racking his brains for an answer.
Although this mech was the latest model, he had encountered many similar ones before. However, engine-related issues were not his strong suit. According to the client’s report, it should have been a minor problem. Yet, this seemingly minor issue had stumped Steve Wilson.
The engine’s inspection showed everything was normal, but the fault indicated unstable output. How could that be?
Could it be a problem with the energy source?
As soon as this thought crossed his mind, Steve Wilson shook his head. Generally, mechs, like hovercars, used standard energy blocks. Someone who could afford such an advanced mech would undoubtedly have status and wealth. Why would they use low-quality energy blocks?
Where exactly was the problem?
Facing the technicians who were still inspecting the mech, Steve Wilson racked his brains, continuously pondering…
A soft voice whispered in his ear, "Could it be an issue in the energy transmission process?"
That’s it! Although the energy driving the engine came from stable energy blocks, there was still a small chance of problems occurring during the transmission process.
"Set the engine aside. Send two people to inspect the mech’s energy transmission channel… No, I’ll inspect it myself."
With that, the old man eagerly tried to climb onto the mech. Unfortunately, his body wasn’t up to the task, and his martial arts level wasn’t high enough. After struggling for a while, he still couldn’t climb up. Several Weilong technicians quickly rushed forward to help him.
"Hurry, check the transmission channel!"
Soon, one of the technicians discovered the problem: a valve in the energy transmission channel had a loose Ф photosensitive fiber component, causing the Ф counterflow light to fail to correctly calibrate the energy transmission.
The issue wasn’t significant. After securing the component, the mech was effectively repaired.
Once the engine was reinstalled, it was time for testing.
"There shouldn’t be any problems now," Steve Wilson said with a smile, turning to Director Tomson. "You can send someone up for the test run."
Director Tomson was naturally pleased. He was about to assign the company’s Level 6 martial artist to pilot the mech when Steve Wilson added, "This Red Mane Charger Model VII requires a pilot with at least Level 8 physical strength. Does your company have someone like that?"
"Level 8?" Director Tomson’s face changed. He suddenly remembered the mech’s piloting requirements. It wasn’t his fault—previous models of the Red Mane Charger from Weilong only required Level 6. This particular model had been ordered by a client specifically from Weilong. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have purchased such an expensive mech.
But now, where could he find a Level 8 martial artist to pilot it?
There were indeed many martial arts experts in the Chang’an system, even some with innate Level 3 or 4 abilities. However, finding someone beyond Level 8 was already difficult, let alone a warrior skilled in mech piloting. Even if Swift Mechanics were willing to pay a hefty price, no one would come. After all, Level 8 martial artists and mech pilots were combatants. What warrior would be willing to become a test pilot for a mech company?
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Director Tomson frowned, considering whether to ask Manager Chen to immediately contact the mercenary guild or find a Level 8 warrior through connections.
Yun Yi glanced at Tomson and immediately understood the situation. Although his internal energy had only recovered to Level 6 due to his practice of the "Haoqi Zheng Tian Jue," his physical strength, enhanced by the unique effects of the ancestral necklace and the "Haoqi Zheng Tian Jue," had already surpassed that of an ordinary Level 9 martial artist. Piloting this mech would be no problem for him. This was an opportunity he wouldn’t miss—to finally fulfill his dream of piloting the mech he had been staring at for days.
"Whoosh…"
Just as Director Tomson was about to make the call, a figure suddenly leaped onto the mech.
"Who is that?" Director Tomson was shocked. The figure moved too quickly for him to discern who it was, but he could tell from the speed that this person’s martial arts level was definitely above Level 8!
Steve Wilson also looked at Tomson curiously, surprised that such a small company would have a martial artist above Level 8.
Sitting in the cockpit of the Red Mane Charger Model VII, Yun Yi greedily observed every detail. Although the controls of the Model VII were more complex than those of the Model III, they shared similarities since they were from the same series. For basic operations, the two were almost identical.
With slight movements of his hands, Yun Yi started the mech’s engine. Feeling the vibrations from the mech, Yun Yi was exhilarated. His hands flew across the control panel, inputting commands.
"Boom, boom, boom…"
The Red Mane Charger Model VII strode out of Workshop Two into the open area outside. Everyone rushed out to catch a glimpse of this high-performance mech.
In the open area, an excited Yun Yi’s hands moved like phantoms. Walking, running, jumping, dodging… Feeling the mech’s movements, Yun Yi felt as if something inside him had exploded.
Mechs—this was what mechs were all about!
Yun Yi felt as if he was born for mechs. Controlling the mech, feeling the feedback from the control panel, watching the images flash across the screen—his heart raced. With adrenaline surging through him, he was no longer satisfied with the thrill of basic movements. As his hands sped up, a series of complex maneuvers unfolded.
The mech on the open ground suddenly became a blur. Its footsteps lightly tapped the ground, making it impossible to predict where it would appear next. Suddenly, the company’s Level 6 martial artist pointed at the mech and exclaimed in shock.
"Shadow Steps!"
Shadow Steps?
Immediately, several people’s expressions changed, while others, confused, began asking around.
Shadow Steps was a famous combat technique from the Shadow Flow martial arts school, renowned for its unpredictability and ability to appear beside an opponent without warning. This technique wasn’t hard to obtain—one could acquire the manual by paying a substantial fee to the Shadow Flow school. However, obtaining the manual was one thing; mastering it was another.
To practice Shadow Steps, the basic requirement was a martial arts level of at least Level 8, along with physical strength and speed meeting Level 8 standards. Additionally, it demanded high intelligence and reaction speed. Learning this technique was difficult, and even among recognized geniuses, fewer than 20% could fully comprehend and master it.
For most people, the sheer volume of commands required was enough to deter them. Shadow Steps was a significant test of finger dexterity. In combat, the brain had to analyze the opponent’s movements in real-time and output the correct commands in an extremely short period.
However, once mastered, this technique was incredibly powerful. Facing an opponent who could appear anywhere unpredictably was a headache. Unless one’s martial arts level was one or two levels higher, it was nearly impossible to counter this technique. In many martial arts competitions, participants who relied on Shadow Steps often achieved impressive results. Its widespread popularity and formidable power made this technique famous among mech enthusiasts.
After a long while, Yun Yi, having thoroughly enjoyed himself, reluctantly brought the mech to a stop in the center of the workshop. He opened the cockpit door and stepped down.
Seeing everyone’s jaws drop in astonishment, Yun Yi inwardly cursed. He had intended to live a low-key life on Chang’an Four Star, but in a moment of impulsiveness, he had showcased a mech combat technique in front of everyone.
"What excuse can I use to brush this off…" Facing the eager gazes of the crowd, Yun Yi felt a headache coming on.